Apple’s Tim Cook beefing up employee perks, personal project time

Apple's "new" CEO Tim Cook is continuing to leave his mark on Apple by beefing up employee perks. According to a report by the Wall Street Journal, Cook has begun expanding corporate benefits offered to employees, such as the ability to take sabbaticals and the freedom to work on personal projects. Though Apple still appears to offer fewer perks than other large companies (such as Google), Cook's more humanitarian approach continues to be one of the major differentiating factors between him and Jobs.

The WSJ's main focus is on a newer program called "Blue Sky" that allows certain staffers to spend "a few weeks on a pet engineering project." This is apparently Apple's version of Google's "20 percent time," where employees are allowed to use a fifth of their paid time at work to focus on their own projects. The WSJ claims now-ousted iOS head Scott Forstall was involved with Blue Sky, though there's no indication that the initiative is going to be cut now that Forstall is out.

Blue Sky is only one part of Cook's attempts to keep employees happy. Apple has apparently become more aggressive in making counteroffers to employees thinking of leaving the company, and it has been more open to allowing employees to take extended time off when needed.

When we spoke to a number of Apple engineers last month, they had good things to say about Cook's treatment of employees. They described Cook as being more approachable than Jobs, more willing to eat with "low level" employees in the cafeteria, and more willing to publicly recognize employees' work. Cook also started a charitable matching program at Apple last year, adding to his reputation of being a more personable, humanitarian CEO than his predecessor.

44 Reader Comments

This only means good things for Apple. Engineers that are allowed outside of the Apple ecosphere to imagine projects for themselves means greater ability to think outside the box, exactly the innovative thinking Apple is looking for after outing Forstall when he became, for lack of any other description, complacent with iOS. Apple is in pretty good hands with Tim Cook I believe.

I don't see how Google is more "humane". Anything you create in 20 Percent Time is still owned by them and that full-service kitchen is there to keep you working well past the dinner hour instead of going home.

Regardless of how you feel about Apple, this kind of news benefits the entire industry. Whenever established, popular companies change their corporate culture in a big way like this, the sentiment tends to spread to other companies in the same industry too. Because of their success, Apple is in a position to lead by example and these changes are certainly a great way to set an example for the industry.

Good to hear. I had a friend that worked as a design engineer for Apple for multiple years, and finally quit recently because he was so unhappy with the working environment. Frequent trips to China, which he absolutely loathed, along with long hours, and what I perceive as little appreciation.

Sounds like Apple is realizing that you need to keep your people happy, not just well-paid.

I don't see how Google is more "humane". Anything you create in 20 Percent Time is still owned by them and that full-service kitchen is there to keep you working well past the dinner hour instead of going home.

Why would they pay you to work on projects that they wouldn't own? That doesn't make any sense.

Heh.. now when they say "employee" perks, are they just referring to the Apple home-base employees stateside? Or are they extending job satisfaction and good will gestures to the Chinese laborers earning $20 dollars a week that their empire has been built upon?

Considering that the chinese laborers are not Apple employees, probably not. They are Foxconn (or other) employees. Foxconn has production contracts with Apple, but they are not owned by Apple.

Heh.. now when they say "employee" perks, are they just referring to the Apple home-base employees stateside? Or are they extending job satisfaction and good will gestures to the Chinese laborers earning $20 dollars a week that their empire has been built upon?

Where did you get that $20 figure? Reputable sources (read: not you), report that those workers will make $630/month by the end of the year. In case you're unable to do the math, that equates to about $157/week, or nearly 8x your figure.

You also provide no context. Is $20/week a bad wage? How about $157/week? Certainly by American standards it is. But they don't live in America. You know that, don't you? And are you aware that cost of living varies greatly from county to county, state to state, and country to country?

I don't see how Google is more "humane". Anything you create in 20 Percent Time is still owned by them and that full-service kitchen is there to keep you working well past the dinner hour instead of going home.

You should read up more on Google. While the system is designed to keep engineers in the office, they legitimately have tried to improve the lives of their employees. On-site masseuses, car washing, bicycle repair and tune-up, lounges with games (pool, foosball), gourmet meals (free), as well as an attitude that lets engineers be themselves and take risks. The 20% time is just one part of a culture that is designed to keep engineers happy while at work.

This only means good things for Apple. Engineers that are allowed outside of the Apple ecosphere to imagine projects for themselves means greater ability to think outside the box, exactly the innovative thinking Apple is looking for after outing Forstall when he became, for lack of any other description, complacent with iOS. Apple is in pretty good hands with Tim Cook I believe.

Copland OS all over again be nice and get nothing done in the long run, Next, OS X, and iOS didn't get done by doing side projects.

Heh.. now when they say "employee" perks, are they just referring to the Apple home-base employees stateside? Or are they extending job satisfaction and good will gestures to the Chinese laborers earning $20 dollars a week that their empire has been built upon?

Where did you get that $20 figure? Reputable sources (read: not you), report that those workers will make $630/month by the end of the year. In case you're unable to do the math, that equates to about $157/week, or nearly 8x your figure.

You also provide no context. Is $20/week a bad wage? Certainly by American standards it is. But they don't live in America. You know that, don't you? And are you aware that cost of living varies greatly from county to county, state to state, and country to country?

Living in a company dorm most of the Foxconn people are lucky to clear 300 a month, food, room and board, and everything else being charge to the worker, they are getting paid shit stop trying to put lipstick on a fat pig.

It would seem we have a primary source! This poster has actually been there and has firsthand knowledge. Please, tell us more! (no, seriously, cite your sources or provide proof that you've actually been there)

I don't see how Google is more "humane". Anything you create in 20 Percent Time is still owned by them and that full-service kitchen is there to keep you working well past the dinner hour instead of going home.

If you don't want to, you don't have to. Most people that actually enjoy their jobs and want to further their own careers, education and understanding will love an opportunity to take time away from 'the daily grind' to work on something new and exciting to them.I'm doing exactly that at my current employer. Yes, everything I do from the moment I start to the moment I leave is paid for and belongs to the company, and it furthers their productivity. But by giving me the opportunity to do some things which are both interesting and helpful to me, as well as the company, benefits us both.

Before Steve came back, anyone at Apple could take a sabbatical to work on their own projects or education for up to six months. I guess everything old is new again, including having your neighbor steal your best ideas and race to the bottom to implement them.

Good to hear. I had a friend that worked as a design engineer for Apple for multiple years, and finally quit recently because he was so unhappy with the working environment. Frequent trips to China, which he absolutely loathed, along with long hours, and what I perceive as little appreciation.

Sounds like Apple is realizing that you need to keep your people happy, not just well-paid.

If your friend was being sent to China, I can almost guarantee you, he was being very well-paid. It sounds like he simply didn't like having to travel.

You are not sent to China on behalf of Apple on the normal Apple engineer salary.

I don't see how Google is more "humane". Anything you create in 20 Percent Time is still owned by them and that full-service kitchen is there to keep you working well past the dinner hour instead of going home.

If you don't want to, you don't have to. Most people that actually enjoy their jobs and want to further their own careers, education and understanding will love an opportunity to take time away from 'the daily grind' to work on something new and exciting to them.

Single, no children, no social life outside of work, apparently.

Meanwhile, those of us who have chosen a 'normal' life have to pick up the slack in fetching the kids (before 6:00, no exceptions), making dinner, doing homework, etc. in a world of Facebook and Google-entitled DINKs who claim to love being at work and who have no excuse to leave.

Sadly, the coddling Google and Facebook approach - provide everything imaginable so that people never have to leave campus - is pretty nakedly there simply so that the folks who have nothing to go back to in the evenings can send e-mail and pretend to be more valuable than the people who have actual life experience.

It's getting to the point where I expect Facebook to install dorms so that the poor little FaceWorld Problems set can stop complaining about things like how people park.

I don't see how Google is more "humane". Anything you create in 20 Percent Time is still owned by them and that full-service kitchen is there to keep you working well past the dinner hour instead of going home.

If you don't want to, you don't have to. Most people that actually enjoy their jobs and want to further their own careers, education and understanding will love an opportunity to take time away from 'the daily grind' to work on something new and exciting to them.

Single, no children, no social life outside of work, apparently.

Meanwhile, those of us who have chosen a 'normal' life have to pick up the slack in fetching the kids (before 6:00, no exceptions), making dinner, doing homework, etc. in a world of Facebook and Google-entitled DINKs who claim to love being at work and who have no excuse to leave.

Sadly, the coddling Google and Facebook approach - provide everything imaginable so that people never have to leave campus - is pretty nakedly there simply so that the folks who have nothing to go back to in the evenings can send e-mail and pretend to be more valuable than the people who have actual life experience.

It's getting to the point where I expect Facebook to install dorms so that the poor little FaceWorld Problems set can stop complaining about things like how people park.

Actually, the point is that you get the time *in work hours* to work on your own projects. If you want to work outside of those hours, it's up to you.

I don't see how Google is more "humane". Anything you create in 20 Percent Time is still owned by them and that full-service kitchen is there to keep you working well past the dinner hour instead of going home.

Strangely, maybe the kitchen is focused on lunch?

I'd love a full service kitchen at my office instead of having to go out or bring in PB&J sandwiches...

vought, the point of 20% time is that you don't have to spend your home time working on side projects. You are encouraged to take 20% of your work time and work on something you find interesting. Some people use it to contribute to projects they don't work on (e.g., Gmail labs), some people use it to start new projects, and some people use it to improve their skills by doing tutorials or attending a study group. All during normal work hours.

Good to hear. I had a friend that worked as a design engineer for Apple for multiple years, and finally quit recently because he was so unhappy with the working environment. Frequent trips to China, which he absolutely loathed, along with long hours, and what I perceive as little appreciation.

Sounds like Apple is realizing that you need to keep your people happy, not just well-paid.

If your friend was being sent to China, I can almost guarantee you, he was being very well-paid. It sounds like he simply didn't like having to travel.

You are not sent to China on behalf of Apple on the normal Apple engineer salary.

He was well-paid. I stated that employees need to be kept happy, not just well-paid.

He didn't mind travel, but setting up and supervising production lines was lousy work and long hours, and he said the industrial area of China was absolutely filthy. He said as soon as you got off the plane, your eyes started burning from the pollution.

I don't see how Google is more "humane". Anything you create in 20 Percent Time is still owned by them and that full-service kitchen is there to keep you working well past the dinner hour instead of going home.

An opportunity to work on a pet project that you otherwise might not be able to fund or promote yourself, and may get you ahead in the company itself?

Living in a company dorm most of the Foxconn people are lucky to clear 300 a month, food, room and board, and everything else being charge to the worker, they are getting paid shit stop trying to put lipstick on a fat pig.

And what is 300 (currency unspecified by Dano40) worth in their local economy?

And how does that square with reports that the a big part of the reason many people line up to work at Foxconn is because they can make enough to send money home to their families?

Finally, can you describe to us the superior work environment at the company that makes your Windows PC and Android smartphone?

I don't see how Google is more "humane". Anything you create in 20 Percent Time is still owned by them and that full-service kitchen is there to keep you working well past the dinner hour instead of going home.

If you don't want to, you don't have to. Most people that actually enjoy their jobs and want to further their own careers, education and understanding will love an opportunity to take time away from 'the daily grind' to work on something new and exciting to them.

Single, no children, no social life outside of work, apparently.

Meanwhile, those of us who have chosen a 'normal' life have to pick up the slack in fetching the kids (before 6:00, no exceptions), making dinner, doing homework, etc. in a world of Facebook and Google-entitled DINKs who claim to love being at work and who have no excuse to leave.

What in God's name are you bitching about? If they're single with no kid, why do you reference picking up kids etc like it's something they should also be made responsible for? Look, if you chose to reproduce, that's your responsibility, and the burden you choose to accept in doing so. Don't go getting all bitter about people who don't have children having time for things that you no longer have time for.

Amazing how a news article about something that sounds like a pretty decent improvement in a company can devolve into bitter spin in the comments section.

If I worked for a company that offered such perks, I'd be a much happier camper!

Yes, but does happier get a mobile OS, or Map program out the door on time, sounds like Apple might be setting itself up to coast a little. where's the focus remember Copland OS before Jobs came back with Next OS and crazy Scott Forstall, Apple had very happy unfocused people.

Holy hell, what's going on? How can an article about redressing work-life balance lead to so many negatively skewed comments. It's like all the anti-Apples jumped out from behind the couch and were soon joined by anti-Googles and anti-Facebooks

This move by Cook is exactly what all businesses should strive to do. Anything that improves work-life balance is a win-win for employers and employees

Good to hear. I had a friend that worked as a design engineer for Apple for multiple years, and finally quit recently because he was so unhappy with the working environment. Frequent trips to China, which he absolutely loathed, along with long hours, and what I perceive as little appreciation.

Sounds like Apple is realizing that you need to keep your people happy, not just well-paid.

Sounds like your friend accepted the wrong job. Unless one is actually being abused on the job, happiness in the workplace is largely a matter of attitude

Living in a company dorm most of the Foxconn people are lucky to clear 300 a month, food, room and board, and everything else being charge to the worker, they are getting paid shit stop trying to put lipstick on a fat pig.

And what is 300 (currency unspecified by Dano40) worth in their local economy?

And how does that square with reports that the a big part of the reason many people line up to work at Foxconn is because they can make enough to send money home to their families?

Finally, can you describe to us the superior work environment at the company that makes your Windows PC and Android smartphone?

In world over company towns, dorms are designed, setup to take money back from the workers, everything the worker uses within Foxconn little scam is charge back to the worker.

Living in a company dorm most of the Foxconn people are lucky to clear 300 a month, food, room and board, and everything else being charge to the worker, they are getting paid shit stop trying to put lipstick on a fat pig.

And what is 300 (currency unspecified by Dano40) worth in their local economy?

And how does that square with reports that the a big part of the reason many people line up to work at Foxconn is because they can make enough to send money home to their families?

Finally, can you describe to us the superior work environment at the company that makes your Windows PC and Android smartphone?

In world over company towns, dorms are designed, setup to take money back from the workers, everything the worker uses within Foxconn little scam is charge back to the worker.

Holy hell, what's going on? How can an article about redressing work-life balance lead to so many negatively skewed comments. It's like all the anti-Apples jumped out from behind the couch and were soon joined by anti-Googles and anti-Facebooks

This move by Cook is exactly what all businesses should strive to do. Anything that improves work-life balance is a win-win for employers and employees

It's par for the course around here. The days when people just appreciated technology are long gone. Now you must pick a side and stick to it, come hell or high water. We've got posters who relentlessly troll Apple threads (and we see a few here today) with inane, irrelevant or flat-out incorrect comments.

I don't see how Google is more "humane". Anything you create in 20 Percent Time is still owned by them and that full-service kitchen is there to keep you working well past the dinner hour instead of going home.

Strangely, maybe the kitchen is focused on lunch?

I'd love a full service kitchen at my office instead of having to go out or bring in PB&J sandwiches...

a good kitchen can be a perk where everyone wins, employee and employer.